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Schedules

By the time your baby is 6 months, if you’re following the 12 by 12 method, you AND your baby are so used to the 4 feeds every 4 hours schedule. It’s always funny when you’re out with friends with babies that are all on the same schedule. One of my favorite things about 12 by 12 is that you’re not guessing if your baby is hungry, and they’re not crying to eat, they know the feed is coming.

I often get asked a few questions so I figured it was time to compile the answers into a post:

1) I have the schedule down, but now I need to introduce solids, what times do I do that?

2) When do you wean off bottles and how?

3) When I drop the morning nap, what time do they nap?

So a few things before I write the sample schedules:

1) I say “bottles” for the sake of not having to write “nurse/bottle,” so of course whichever you do works (but 4 nursing sessions is usually not enough. Many babies need top off bottled and you need extra pumping so you don’t hurt your supply. I’ve spoken about that a few times before)

2) I say 7 am or later, because I don’t wake a sleeping baby once they’re sleep trained. When they sleep in, I just start the day when they wake up and adjust the day as it goes. If the nap ends up going longer and second feed is 11:30 instead of 11, I’ll just do 3:15 instead for the next feed. Basically, I do whatever works to get back to 7 pm in crib for bedtime.

3) I like my babies to be weaned off bottles around 12 months. Below I outline how I transition off bottles but I don’t write what month I do it at. I basically work backwards so that around 12 months they don’t have a bottle. I give milk in a cup with breakfast as well as another dairy serving during the day (yogurt or cheese etc) this is a good resource for how much food kids need – Kids Health – Nutrition Guide for Toddlers

4) Most importantly: There is no exact science. There are lots of different options for what time to feed solids. Everyday won’t be the same. These are just examples.

2 naps to 1 nap:Generally, first they go through a stage of two naps too many, one nap not enough stage, Some days they may nap twice and others once, but I always suggest signing up for a morning class that is from 9:15-10:45 type time slot. This way he/she is busy and occupied and it is the easiest way to push the nap. Then a quick lunch and down for a nap.
11:00 am lunch
11:30 am nap

As they get older the one nap moves from 11:30 am, to 12:00 pm, to 1:00 pm and eventually you say bye to naps.